Improvement in harvesters



UNITED STATESI PATENT CFFICE.

GEORGE H. SPAULDING, OF ROGKFORD, ILLlNOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.v

Specification forming part ofgLetters Patent No. 7 2,238, dated December 17, 1867.

, To all whom it may concern:

others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to' the accompany-k ing drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a plan of the machine. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the line a. a', Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the manner in which the metallic strips are arranged.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

The nature of my invention consists, first, in the arrangement of a haudbirding harvester, which can be'operated by the binders standing inside the driving-wheel and facing a receptacle into which the grain passes from the rollin g-apron or platform second, in the employment and peculiar adjustment of metallic strips for the apron-slats or battens, secured to two or more belts, thus avoiding the use of textile fabrics for aprons, which mildew, rot, and become useless; third, the receptacle for the gavel or sheat' located on the same plane as the apron and so constructed as to admit the grain in at its bottom directly from the horizontal rolling platform, thus avoiding the use of au elevating-roller and its attendant complications; fourth, in the arrangement of the apron-strips whereby they lap over each other and rise when in the act .of bearing the grain under the opening in the receptacle or box.

A is the driving-wheel; B, the grain-wheel, supporting the outer end of the cutter-bar C with the first guard-finger shown at g. R is the box or receptacle for the grain, and is placed iu the platform between the drivingwheel A and the rst guard-finger g.

On each side of this box R are two foot boards, f f', on which the binders stand when binding.

C E E is the finger-bar and platform-frame of the harvester, having the rollers r r, with their belts b b passing around them, andupon which latter are lsecured the metallic strips or battens s s s.

The outer footboard f is raised enough to admit the grain passing under it into the box R, through the opening o iu the lower part of the latter.

The action of the strips s s s in this operation is more positive than the mere bearing or transporting of the grain, for these strips, being at and secured pliantly at their forward edges, that is, the edges which are nearest the box lt, when the said strips are on top of the platform,pass along by the revolving ot' the rollers, which are connected with the driving-wheel for this object, and bear the grain upon their upper surfaces, as is usual with battens ordinarily attached, but these strips or battens being secured at their forward edges rise more or less in a vertical position as they pass over the rollers at each end of the platform; and this elevation ot' them as they pass under the opening o iu the box R thrusts the grain into the said box, thus keeping it crowded compactly to thev side opposite the opening o, and by this action raises the grain in the box to make room for that which i'ollows as each successive strip delivers its portion into the box. Thus the box is iilled from the bottom instead of the top, as in other harvesters; and the binders work upon the" grain in the box, without the hiuderance of removing the bundle elsewhere to loekthe band.

The manner in which this machine operates and is attended is thus: The machine being drawn forwardfthe driving-wheel communicates motion to the rollers r r, which carry the apron along with the grain that'has fallen upon it, the apron being behind the cutter-bar C, the sickle of which being also in motion.

The grain is carried under the foot-board j",

and the strips S by rising pass very close to the bottom-board or metallic sheet of the box R, and thus the grain is thrust upon this bottom-board; and the succeeding grain, being delivered in a like manner, Acrowds or pushes against that preceding it, thus lliug the box.

The binders standing at the side of the box R, and having their feet on the foot-boardsf f', stoop down, bind the bundles, and throw them oft' ou the ground.

If there is more grain in the box than sufficient to make a bundle, the requisite quantity only need be taken from the top, without scattering and wasting the grain in transferring it to a binding-platform as in other machines, for the band is looked while the bundle is in the box, and when completed it is then thrown out.

The advantages of this improvement .consist-in its simplicity, ease of repair, and cheapness of construction further, the grain is bound in the box, and not wasted by moving it about. It also obviates the employment of side stage-bin din g tables and el evatin g-aprons, and consequent! y is cheaper and easier of draft.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- A 1. The reeeivingbox R, located between the drivingwheel and the rst guard-linger, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown.

2. The location of the footboards f f on each side ofthe receptacle R, which permits the binder to face the receptacle, substantially asset forth.

3. The raised footboard f, which admits the grain beneath it, substantially as and for the object specified.

4. The delivery of the grain into the receptacle at its bottom or base, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The employment of metallic strips s s s and belts b b, as apron or carrier, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown.

6. The securing of the said metallic strips s s s at their forward edges, substantially as herein shown, so that in passingl over theroller they will assume a vertical position and thrust the grain into the receptacle, all as set forth.

'7.The employment of a receptacle, R, for the grain, which admits of the binding of the bundles upon the loose grain in it without removing the bundle till completed7 substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore mentioned.

GEO. H. SPAULDING.

Witnesses J. G. MANLovn, J AMES CHALMEns. 

